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Utter bollocks, of course. They're useless racist shitbags.
I was thinking I'd love to knock their ****ing teeth out but from what ive seen of those involved that wouldn't take too long
Manchester Mill is really good on this, and the man behind a lot of flags in Salford sounds like a true pillar of the community. Quote of the article from a Labour councillor:
“There’s one that’s gone up on a street in Moston which just so happens to be opposite the only West African family on the street,” he says. “I’m sure that’s entirely a coincidence”
I joined an old school facebook group a few years back. I've just had a look through some of the profiles and I'm happy to say that despite being a south Brum secondary mod' there is no sign of this in any of the profiles except one - which is also full of macho nonsense, misogynistic shit, thoroughly nasty petitions to sign, racism, right wing bollocks, beer swilling, swaggering in Malaga, penis extension automobiles. More disappointing is a guy I was mates with in the sixth who was himself a migrant worker in the USA for many years and is now Brexity anti-immigrant.
I’ve just taken one down. Young lady came out and asked if I was going round taking loads down (there’s only the one in the vicinity actually ) and she offered support and was hoping to Instagram it all I think! 😂
In the Norfolk countryside at the weekend I spotted, in someone's garden, a red flag with a dragon on it, like the Welsh dragon but white. Thought "That looks like an interesting flag, wonder what it's for", when I Googled it later, it suggests it's for people who don't find the George Cross to be fascistic enough... Ho hum...
If it had been a yellow dragon, without hind legs and the tail looped around, actually a Wyvern, that would have been the flag of Wessex, the first unified Kingdom in England, after King Alfred beat the Vikings at Eddington.
My dad was in the TA, and had Wessex flags on the shoulders of his uniform.
Back on the main subject, when I was picked up to go to the pub on Friday night, there was an enterprising couple of blokes with a long ladder, busy putting Union flags halfway up every other lamppost along Hungerdown Lane, formerly the A350, which joins the A4 Bath Road and the A420 Bristol Road. I have to say that they did make a very neat job of it!
Personally, I’m putting my own spin on it and thinking it’s all being done to support the Red Roses Women’s England Rugby team - stops me getting angry about it.
Just read the Wiki article linked above - that’s a pretty flimsy interpretation, considering it’s a small paragraph at the bottom about someone that barely anyone else has ever heard of, nothing else there is in any way indicating links to the Far-Right or fascism, it’s all about our Anglo-Saxon ancestry, and they originated in what is now part of Germany, just another group of invaders who settled here after the Romans left.
Personally, I’m putting my own spin on it and thinking it’s all being done to support the Red Roses Women’s England Rugby team - stops me getting angry about it.
I know that's tongue in cheek, sort of, and that we shouldn't get cross about things we can't control, etc. But this isn't something to ignore. We SHOULD be absolutely raging over it. Because if the bigots aren't challenged, next it'll be women, lgbtq+, etc. History has warned us, are we listening?
The clever position we have been put in is how to challenge the bigots without feeding their narrative
The most ardent anti-immigrant Brexiteer I knew was not only an immigrant, but had been given asylum. That's why we aren't friends anymore.
The most ardent anti-immigrant Brexiteer I knew was not only an immigrant, but had been given asylum
There’s an awful lot of that type of thing around. Just look at the faces of the most virulent anti-immigration mob in the Tory party, behind such joys as the Rwanda scheme … Rishi Sunak, Priti Patel, Suella Braverman and Kemi Badanoch…. all of them the children of immigrants. As are we all at some point, but they’re first generation!
Kemi’s mum flew to the UK specifically to give birth to her, thus bagging her British Citizenship (as per the rules at the time), then flew back home again. She’s the dictionary definition of an economic migrant and the very thing she now rails against
Pull that ladder up behind yourself! The hypocrisy is off the chart!
Anyway, nothing to see here, just some proud patriots celebrating our shared British values of diversity and inclusion…
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/aug/30/five-arrested-after-masked-men-try-to-enter-west-london-asylum-hotel?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Playing Uncle Tom is hardly a new thing. The book was published in 1852.
Indeed. Nice cushions Zia…
Zia Yusuf: Reform’s deportation plans will be like Trump 2.0
I'd like to see Zia Yusuf turn up at an Epping/Southport/Nuneaton/Sunderland style riot in trackies and a hoodie with no minders and not allowed to say who he is. See how the ****er gets on with the kind of racist, thuggish mob he incites.
Yeah, if the mob gets its way with the people arriving in boats, I’m sure they’ll be entirely happy with that and won’t immediately target the next group they deem to be insufficiently patriotic or Engerlish, or whatever
I see the racist dickheads are at it in Australia as well, it’s almost like a coordinated effort
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czjmre371l1o
BBC article about the history of the flag of St George, which indicates its a much more recent phenomenon than I’d realised…
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c754gqwrwylo?utm_source=flipboard&utm_content=user/BBCNews
I see the racist dickheads are at it in Australia as well, it’s almost like a coordinated effort
It probably is, they aren't known for being great at doing their own research
I see the racist dickheads are at it in Australia as well, it’s almost like a coordinated effort
Nothing new there, it doesn’t take a coördinated effort for them to kick off!
Like the Americans, they don’t really do irony when it comes to who constitutes ‘immigrants’, do they?
Australia actually had a whites only immigration policy for a long time. There is a really nasty racist undertone right through Australian society. In the past few decades they have had a lot of non white immigration and that has of course changed the nature of a lot of the cities. They are at least 20 years behind Europe in social attitudes. I went to a very interesting exhibition on the roots of modern Australia
The most ardent anti-immigrant Brexiteer I knew was not only an immigrant, but had been given asylum. That's why we aren't friends anymore.
There’s an awful lot of that type of thing around. Just look at the faces of the most virulent anti-immigration mob in the Tory party, behind such joys as the Rwanda scheme …
Yup - I mentioned this on another thread. A lot of it is deflection and pack mentality.
But here's the thing - that lot will stand on their soap boxes and shout from the roof tops. They will share all sorts of putrid crap on social media, as well as misleading nonsense to promote their twisted ideology... and they won't stop.
...meanwhile, anyone happy with the status quo will quietly (and politely) get on with things.
Come election time, Reform will win because those who want change will vote in their droves... and those who aren't motivated to change anything may, or may not vote.
The same bloody thing happened with the Brexit vote. Unless lefties and/or moderates start to make some real noise, the loud minority will win.
Plus, it doesn't help that the current government is starting to make right wing noises in fear of losing to Reform - so that makes the anti-immigration sentiment more acceptable.
The rise of DJT, NF, the Right-Wing... and VP taking a slice of Ukraine. It's all related. This has happened before, but we haven't learned anything.
The world is at a tipping point. A very precious resource is becoming quite scarce - young and fit workers. We can't produce enough of them in the UK and Europe.
Isn't it rather convenient? Countries with worrylingly upside-down age distributions, being influenced to reject immigration? Who is pulling those strings?
Australians not far behind white South Africans in terms of blatant racism IME.
Australia actually had a whites only immigration policy for a long time. There is a really nasty racist undertone right through Australian society.
My brother mentioned this as he and his gf spent a year out there in 2012ish, he said they had quite a few barneys with folk regarding their outright racism and blatant homophobia, by and large the majority of folk were fine but the attitudes of folk outwith the cities are quite duelling banjo
The same bloody thing happened with the Brexit vote. Unless lefties and/or moderates start to make some real noise, the loud minority will win.
Assumes that anti-immigration policies have only minority support. All across Europe, that's not the case
There is a really nasty racist undertone right through Australian society.
An MTB club member from way back was a 1st gen Aussie of German migrant parents, he was known as "Nazi Mike" in the club for his views on Aboriginal Australians and immigrants, despite being, y'know; the child of immigrants and an immigrant to the UK working within the NHS...
Was talking to an Aussie builder yesterday on his hols. Reckons the old/young city/town divide when it comes to levels of racism follows the same pattern as here… with his older relatives becoming hardened in recent years… plenty of family rows about it.
There's a chap near us who likes to decorate his front garden, lights at christmas, spooky halloween and this summer it was union flags. With the rise in flag shaggers, he's now taken them down so as not to be associated with them.
I use the fixmystreet website to report any I see as flyposting, pointing out that they're a distraction to drivers and part of a campaign orchestrated by far righ te extremists (with a link to hopenothate). Waiting to see if the council/highways take any down.
Someone returning from NI pointed out worries about the flags in their part of town on the local FB group and the usual suspects told them to get back on the ferry and leave if they didn't like it, therefore validating the original posters comments about what a group taking over public spaces with flags means.
Someone then tried to explain to the flag shaggers that people from NI are British and got abuse for that.
The only thing about this that cheered me up was at the weekend I had to do a couple of trips and once past the affected local area I didn't see a single lamppost flag or painted roundabout, I recon it'll not be long until they become associated with signifying rough areas.
I recon it'll not be long until they become associated with signifying rough areas.
Another step towards a nation irretrievably divided. God, Farrage must be laughing his head off at us all.
I am taking a pair of cable cutters out with me and removing any offending flags I come across, which I don't have to climb to.reach.
The will be excellent for cleaning my bike and cleaning up the tortoises poo paintings.
The only thing about this that cheered me up was at the weekend I had to do a couple of trips and once past the affected local area I didn't see a single lamppost flag or painted roundabout, I recon it'll not be long until they become associated with signifying rough areas.
Selected "rough" areas though.
I drove through North Kirklees (Batley, Shaw Cross) on Friday and was disheartened by the sheer number of flags. One neatly cable tied to every single lamppost, looked absolutely coordinated, almost professional.
Yesterday I drove through Hull, past Bransholme to Sutton. There wasn't a single flag to be seen. We talked abut it as a family, and concluded that although Hull has a bit of a reputation, and a reform Mayor, what it doesn't have is a large ****stani/Indian population like Kirklees does.
I'll take some convincing that it wasn't only being done in Kirklees to intimidate and provoke.
Down in Rye last weekend, and saw plenty - also in Bracknell on the way home.
Disappointing to see, tbh...
I recon it'll not be long until they become associated with signifying rough areas
Err...
That's been the case for about 20 years.
🤔
The will be excellent for cleaning my bike and cleaning up the tortoises poo paintings.
Disrespect doesn't call for further disrespect.
Disrespect doesn't call for further disrespect.
I’d normally agree with you, but a glut of cheaply made flags will need to be made use of somehow. Cleaning cloths is better than binning them all.
I came back last Friday from a week out of the country. I'd seen a bit about this flag stuff online, but tried to avoid the news as much as possible to be honest as it's generally depressing & I don't find it helps my mood.
Got back around tea time, so nipped out for fish & chips*.
The first mini-roundabout I got to had been painted with a red cross 😡
I live on the Cambs/Lincs border which is very brexity but I honestly didn't expect it. Was pretty gutted, truth be told. I grew up in one of the most multi-cultural parts of W London so this kind of moronic behaviour just makes absolutely no sense to me.
Dreading catching-up with the in-laws as they'll be all over this sort of shit, like a rash.
*almost £24 for 2 regular cod, 1 large chips and large mushy peas. Unbeliveable.
Ironically, it would have been cheaper to have supported my local Indian/Chinese restaurant or the Turkish Grill around the corner.
I recon it'll not be long until they become associated with signifying rough areas.
The Manchester Evening News had a report last week about one main road that had flags on every lamppost down its entire length.
It was just round the corner from where they filmed Shameless
For the hard to reach ones 😉
[img] 
[/img]
https://bsky.app/profile/scotnational.bsky.social/post/3lxrqpjhvss2l
NEW: Keir Starmer has said he hangs the English flag in his home and 'always sits front of a Union Jack'
He told the BBC: 'I'm very encouraging of flags. I think they're patriotic and a great symbol of our nation.'
https://bsky.app/profile/scotnational.bsky.social/post/3lxrpyzxidz25
Normal behaviour.
So Starmer is also a racist bigot?
I see no reason to respect a flag put up by racist scum.
Farages knuckle dragging bigots can do one.
FFS when will he learn that you cannot out flag shag a bunch of rabid flagshaggers
He should be calling them out not pandering to them
FFS when will he learn that you cannot out flag shag a bunch of rabid flagshaggers
Totally agree. Starmer's statement is so unbelievably cringe and no-one is going to buy it (apart from that one guy on here that is convinced Starmer is a literal football hooligan).
Not a nice thing to see.. So starmer is now just a populist, running scared of reform racists just like Cameron was when he called the brexit referendum.
Pathetic.
FML. I generally sit in front of a pile of shit on my desk. VOTE FOR ME.
Starmer's statement is so unbelievably cringe
Tsk tsk PCA - thats not very good English grammer is it? Are you sure you are properly British?
🤣
To be honest I would rather keep the migrants and send Farage and his cronies somewhere overseas Ruanda?
Starmer has always been a right wing populist moron, it was clear years ago how similar he was to Boris. No ideas, no ideology and no morality. McSweeney was the muppet master with the plan to get into power, and Starmer the gormless muppet, neither ever had a plan to actually improve the country, the donors decide policy and it has been nothing but continued tory austerity and using racism as the excuse for failure.
Not a nice thing to see.. So starmer is now just a populist, running scared of reform racists just like Cameron was when he called the brexit referendum.
Pathetic.
I had high hopes last year. But he's a political featherweight with no political nous whatsoever. He's only trick was being 'not Corbyn' and then 'not the tories'. I was hoping he was hiding some latent socialism and grownup politics for fear of being taken down by the RW gutter press before the election.
I now realise my mistake. I'll vote Libdem or Green from now on. What's the point in voting for Labour if they're just another bunch running scared of racists?
The same bloody thing happened with the Brexit vote. Unless lefties and/or moderates start to make some real noise, the loud minority will win.
Assumes that anti-immigration policies have only minority support. All across Europe, that's not the case
I see what you mean there - problem is the whole thing gets muddied and confused.
First of all, there is a racist undertone wherever you go. This adds to 'anti-immigration' support, but it's not inherently about immigration as such. It doesn't matter if someone is 5th generation - if they're a different colour, or were given an exotic name (not their choice I'd like to add), they are potentially lumped into the same vote.
Then you have people who are against asylum seekers. A different conversation, but again, they're not immigrants. If you've spoken to a genuine asylum seeker who's been given refuge by a local authority, it's not all roses. They'd much rather be back home. They'd rather work/provide for their family, but often they cannot (this could be due to skills, a language barrier, or even their legal status in the early stages). Again, they'll potentially be lumped into the same vote.
Then you have someone who's not long been given a legal visa to study and/or work in the UK... not all are permanent immigrants (or even temporary immigrants). Students may go back after completing their studies. Workers may go back after finishing their contract. But again, they'll be lumped into the same vote.
And, there are lots of r*tards out there who can't/won't distinguish between what an immigrant is, what an asylum seeker is... or even what countries are in Europe! I recall a conversation with someone who voted for Brexit because of Syrian refugees... I had to point out that Syria wasn't in the EU. 😂
So looking at those polls - do we really understand the root?
Any nation who currently needs migrants could have planned ahead to encourage an increase in birth rates a LONG time ago. Reduced fertility and an ageing population is not a sudden phenomenon.
As for asylum seekers - we see many from countries afar that have been affected by the West's foreign policy to a degree. Of course, not all are genuine - that's part of the problem, but how can anyone claim to be able to distinguish one from another, whilst firing missiles at their hotel windows? And why are they being put in Hotels? Asylum seeking is not a new phenomenon. Has appropriate planning taken place?
None of us want to see the St George's Cross turn into a Burberry cap. Our latest crop of thugs may not wear shell suits, however that culture (and reasons for its existence) hasn't changed. Again, this could have been tackled more effectively.
In addition to the recent protests - we have seen very aggressive anti-vax, climate and pro-Palestine 'protestors'. It wouldn't surprise me if it's the same lot who have caused damage in all four cases. Some people are just pissed off, and need any excuse to riot.
That photo of Starmer with the little flags, someone please tell me it's AI generated or photoshopped. It's not even union flags which as prime minister of the UK would be acceptable.
English patriots:
I was happy our village didn't have any but that changed on Saturday night 🙁
Wonder why they put them up under the cover of darkness?
Turns out a major instigator of the flag placement in Salford area was convicted of people smuggling, this is Starmers Britain, he’s fuelling these racist pricks
https://manchestermill.co.uk/twamley-talks-a-voicemail-address-from-manchesters-chief-flag-raiser/
That photo of Starmer with the little flags, someone please tell me it's AI generated or photoshopped
Best I can tell it's not Ai.
It's from the National.scot
Obviously these days who ultimately knows but this is pure Starmer behaviour irrespective.
No one should be that surprised. There is a pattern with him - he simply follows the right noises set by his team-mates.
Let's remember the whole flag thing as a showcase has been happening for a while with our leader.
I'm wondering if that photo is out of context, maybe taken during the womens world cup final?
I'm struggling to find it on the Beeb website.
The Prime Minister has said he is “very encouraging” of people flying national flags, but said they can be devalued when flown “purely for divisive purposes”.
“I’m very encouraging of flags. I think they’re patriotic and I think they’re a great symbol of our nation.
“I don’t think they should be devalued and belittled. I think sometimes when they’re used purely for divisive purposes, actually it devalues the flag.
“I don’t want to see that. I’m proud of our flag.”
Sitting on the fence? sure... but I suspect 'scotnational' may be using a big dollop of 'artistic license' to 'paint a picture', there, unless anyone knows different?
Bloody typical tabloids... the press has just as much to answer for putting out distorted crap like that.
I am taking a pair of cable cutters out with me and removing any offending flags I come across, which I don't have to climb to.reach.
The will be excellent for cleaning my bike and cleaning up the tortoises poo paintings
Suggest you write "hi flag****s" across the middle and put them back up
(sorry RM but IMO it's more important to disrespect the process than respect a flag put up for no good reason)
I hope your insurance covers broken glass and fire.
How to win friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie comes to mind. Even you win an argument people resent losing so you've lost.
I am taking a pair of cable cutters out with me and removing any offending flags I come across, which I don't have to climb to.reach.
The will be excellent for cleaning my bike and cleaning up the tortoises poo paintings
Suggest you write "hi flag****s" across the middle and put them back up
(sorry RM but IMO it's more important to disrespect the process than respect a flag put up for no good reason)
The idea that we should automatically show respect for the flag/any flag is comical, treat them like the litter they are
There’s a huge danger in making the easy stereotype of it being “scrotes”, “toothless Stella swiggers” and people living in “certain areas” that are responsible for the flags and the rise in Nationalism. These are the visible signs, in some cases people seeking a bit of excitement in their lives and jumping on the bandwagon started by moneyed people who are standing back and patting themselves on their backs at the discord they’ve sown.
The views that some of these “flag shaggers” hold (not my words) are echoed more privately up and down the country. I’ve had recent conversations with acquaintances (not friends) and I’ve been shocked at some of their views on “the boats”, sometimes it’s hard to argue as the views don’t have any facts behind them just what’s been on Facebook. I recently had a discussion at the tills at Go Outdoors with a couple of men and the cashier, it was difficult but the time to stand by and ignore it has long gone.
Unfortunately the country needs leadership, explaining why people want to come here, why their lives are so bad that they’ve left their families behind and risked their lives travelling thousands of miles. It needs an explanation of basic human responsibilities and the perceived British values of decency, rooting for the underdog, fairness and kindness.
So how are we going to counter all these nasty situations?
I am determined to speak out and engage when I hear these horrible views and I am writing to my MP again to remind her that we don’t all hold racist inhumane opinions.
Unfortunately just dismissing people as thick, stupid, jobless idiots reinforces their opinions, a bit like Millwall and Leeds supporters who are proud that “nobody likes them”.
I was refering to the palestinian flag, Scraredypants but was slow to post as I tried (and failed) to find the exact Carnegie quote.
I'm wondering if that photo is out of context, maybe taken during the womens world cup final?
perhaps - the National Scot is you need to remember set up to appeal to the Scots nationalists so anything that paints Starmer as a little englander is grist to their mill. However its not going to be making stuff up - its a decent quality source - just one like most others with a bias
I'm wondering if that photo is out of context, maybe taken during the womens world cup final?
perhaps - the National Scot is you need to remember set up to appeal to the Scots nationalists so anything that paints Starmer as a little englander is grist to their mill. However its not going to be making stuff up - its a decent quality source - just one like most others with a bias
That's my suspicion... my opinions of starmer aside, I'm really struggling see him doing a photo op like that in response to the weekends activities from the far right. 🤣
Thats the propblem with a lot of the press of all 'colours' in this country - they just put out inflamatory BS to stir up division when they should just be reporting the news.
Starmer's statement is so unbelievably cringe
Tsk tsk PCA - thats not very good English grammer is it? Are you sure you are properly British?
🤣
The answers to your questions are "yes" and "no".
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/cringe
Google image search shows that photo as being from a Telegraph article on 23 April about St George’s day. Edit: ‘that’ photo meaning the Starmer one above.
Tsk Tsk - even dictionary standards are getting lower. Cringe is not an adjective. 🙂
I am away to shout at clouds now
Google image search shows that photo as being from a Telegraph article on 23 April about St George’s day. Edit: ‘that’ photo meaning the Starmer one above.
Thanks, context is everything, I don't have a very high opinion of Starmer but didn't want to believe that the pic and quotes were in the current context. Now I don't have to. I hope he does a picture with leeks and dragons for St david's day, wears a kilt for St Andrew's and waves a white flag on St Patrick's day.
Any nation who currently needs migrants could have planned ahead to encourage an increase in birth rates a LONG time ago.
Why? That all suggests that someone born here is preferable to someone who was not. Why?
I don't give a shit about offending mouthy ****wits. By piping up (or flagging up) they're exposing themselves to ridicule.
Google image search shows that photo as being from a Telegraph article on 23 April about St George’s day.
Yes, it was a St. George's Day reception. His speech was actually about reclaiming our flag, so it's a shame that the message is being diluted.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YbC66EUqNbI
So looking at those polls - do we really understand the root?
The European post-war drive to encourage immigration (largely from former colonies) to assist the rebuilding of both fabric and economy were from countries that shared almost nothing in common linguistically, culturally, and religiously. Nearly every European country, regardless of how it chose to pursue multi-culturalism [or not] has largely failed a) culturally because of a lack of shared national identity and b) politically through allowing parallel communities to emerge and not demanding that immigrants do more to integrate. From the The Netherlands and the UK just sort of assuming that via osmosis communities will integrate, the French just declaring everyone is French, the Germans telling workers that they can come and work, but they can't be German has produced exactly the same result; very popular, very right wing, very anti immigration political parties that are challenging for positions of power. I don't think any Govt in my lifetime has done anything like enough to tackle racism in any meaningful way, the death of socially cohesive communities who've had industries ripped away has seen little re-investment, and declining economic power does nothing to help.
But also the lack of political leaders to do anything meaningful to promote integration -lest they be seen themselves as flag-shaggers or racist, has opened up a window of opportunity for anti-immigration populism, that no intervention now is going to close. Blaming any current mainstream politician for not doing enough now is pointless, its too late; they're not going to be able to course correct 80 years of dismal [lack of meaningful] policies in one or two terms.
I reckon that more and more mainstream parties will adopt more and more anti-immigration policies because its what more and more people in this country want.